Teenager: Berlusconi gave her euro7,000 ($9,350)

By The Associated Press
| 11:57 a.m.Jan. 15, 2011

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 file photo Moroccan girl nicknamed Ruby attends a party in a disco in Genoa, Italy. Italy's leading newspaper is reporting that Premier Silvio Berlusconi is under investigation in a prostitution case involving a then-17-year-old Moroccan girl. Corriere della Sera reported online Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, that the 74-year-old premier is suspected of abusing his power in trying to cover up his alleged encounters with the girl, nicknamed Ruby. Berlusconi's office said it had no immediate comment. (AP Photo/str, File)
— AP

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 file photo Moroccan girl nicknamed Ruby attends a party in a disco in Genoa, Italy. Italy's leading newspaper is reporting that Premier Silvio Berlusconi is under investigation in a prostitution case involving a then-17-year-old Moroccan girl. Corriere della Sera reported online Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, that the 74-year-old premier is suspected of abusing his power in trying to cover up his alleged encounters with the girl, nicknamed Ruby. Berlusconi's office said it had no immediate comment. (AP Photo/str, File)
/ AP

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 file photo, Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi sits as he listen to a speech during the traditional meeting at the Quirinale Presidential palace called to exchange Christmas greetings in Rome. Italy's leading newspaper is reporting that Premier Silvio Berlusconi is under investigation in a prostitution case involving a then-17-year-old Moroccan girl. Corriere della Sera reported online Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, that the 74-year-old premier is suspected of abusing his power in trying to cover up his alleged encounters with the girl, nicknamed Ruby. Berlusconi's office said it had no immediate comment. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)— AP

+Read Caption

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 file photo, Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi sits as he listen to a speech during the traditional meeting at the Quirinale Presidential palace called to exchange Christmas greetings in Rome. Italy's leading newspaper is reporting that Premier Silvio Berlusconi is under investigation in a prostitution case involving a then-17-year-old Moroccan girl. Corriere della Sera reported online Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, that the 74-year-old premier is suspected of abusing his power in trying to cover up his alleged encounters with the girl, nicknamed Ruby. Berlusconi's office said it had no immediate comment. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
/ AP

ROME 
A teenager at the heart of the latest criminal probe of Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Saturday the billionaire media mogul gave her euro7,000 ($9,350) when she came to a Valentine's Day soiree at his villa but reiterated she didn't have sex with him.

Milan prosecutors were investigating whether Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage girl from Morocco and then abused his power in trying to cover up the encounters.

Berlusconi has criticized the probe, calling the allegations "incredible and grotesque."

The teenager, a nightclub dancer nicknamed Ruby, said in an interview on Sky TG24 TV that Berlusconi didn't know she was a minor when she was invited to his villa near Milan last year "because I told everyone I was 24," not 17.

Asked why Berlusconi gave her the money at the first of several evening parties she said she attended at one of his villas outside Milan, Ruby replied, "because I had just arrived in Milan and he knew of my difficult family situation" and wanted to help.

As in other interviews Ruby has given, she reiterated that there was "absolutely no" sex between them.

Ruby, now 18, said that guests dined and danced at the parties and that Berlusconi "sang and told jokes."

Prosecutors say they are investigating whether the premier had sex with the then-17-year-old girl and then used the powers of his office to try to cover up the encounter. Prosecutors issued a summons Friday for Berlusconi and his lawyers to appear for questioning.

Berlusconi has been engulfed in several scandals stemming from his private life, including reports of wild parties at his mansions and alleged encounters with prostitutes. In one case, Patrizia D'Addario, a self-described call girl, said she spent the night with Berlusconi when Barack Obama was elected U.S president. She later gave purported tapes of her encounter with Berlusconi to an Italian magazine.

In 2009, his second wife, Veronica Lario, announced she was divorcing him, citing Berlusconi's purported fondness for younger women. Berlusconi has made no apologies for his lifestyle, but has denied ever paying to have sex.